BOISE – Ashton Jeanty’s family drove nearly 1,600 miles from Texas just to watch him play on The Blue Friday.
That’s almost a 24-hour trip one way, so Boise State’s star running back wanted to make their long trek worth it.
The sophomore did just that. They and everyone else at Albertsons Stadium certainly got their money’s worth.
Jeanty became just the sixth Bronco all-time, and the first since Jeremy McNichols in 2016, to rack up both 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game. He finished with 225 all-purpose yards and a pair of explosive touchdowns in the 27-19 win over Air Force that virtually guaranteed the Broncos (7-5 overall, 6-2 MW) a place in next week’s Mountain West Championship game against UNLV in Las Vegas.
“They split the trip in half just for me for Thanksgiving,” said Jeanty who was holding back tears in the press conference. “I ain’t trying to get emotional, but I really love my family. I’m just thankful that God’s blessed me with a family like this that has supported me through this. It’s been a tough year, so I’m really thankful that they were able to come up here and support me.”
It was only Jeanty’s second game back and first full-go since injuring his knee in the first half against Wyoming on Oct. 28. He didn’t travel with the team during the Nov. 4 loss to Fresno State that seemingly eliminated Boise State from the Mountain West title game. Jeanty then stood on the sidelines in the 42-14 win over New Mexico on Nov. 11 – the final game of the Andy Avalos era – before seeing just 12 carries during last week’s 45-10 rout of Utah State.
“A young man that was fighting his tail off to get healthy (and) working harder than anyone,” Boise State interim head coach Spencer Danielson said. “He’s living in the training room, practicing hard and finds a way to come out on this field Friday and do what he did.”
Jeanty didn’t waste any time either.
His second touch of the game was an 18-yard catch that help set up a 38-yard field goal by Jonah Dalmas on the Broncos’ opening drive of the game. But the second and third quarters were where Jeanty really reminded everyone just who he was before the injury.
It started with a screen pass from sophomore quarterback Taylen Green. Jeanty turned with it up the sideline before darting across the middle of the field untouched for a 75-yard touchdown. The career-long reception extended Boise State’s lead to 17-3 with five minutes and seven second remaining in the first half.
But that was only the half of it.
With the Broncos nursing a 17-12 lead at the beginning of the third quarter, Jeanty took a handoff right up the gut and squirted through for a 50-yard touchdown run to put Boise State back up by double digits at 24-12.
He finished his day with 104 yards on the ground and 118 receiving – a career high. It’s already the fourth time this season Jeanty has surpassed 200 yards from scrimmage, which ties him for fourth all-time in school history.
“He’s a dog,” Boise State sophomore linebacker Andrew Simpson said. “I played against him every day for two years. I feel like every game I go out, I’ve already seen the best back I’m going to see that week.”
Not everyone agrees, though.
The 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the best running back in the country, were released this week. And despite being No. 3 in the nation in all-purpose yards with 1,637, Jeanty was not among them.
“I watch a lot of tailbacks. I watch Ashton Jeanty every day, absolutely he is,” said Danielson when asked if Jeanty is the best running back in college football. “He deserves to be on that list. I don’t know why he’s not.”
But Jeanty didn’t give it much thought.
“It really didn’t do anything towards me. My goal before that came out was to go win this week so we can go to the championship. And after the list came out, same thing,” Jeanty said. “But I will say maybe it gave me a little more motivation in just proving everybody wrong.”
And he’s going to likely get a chance to do it again next week with a championship on the line.
